Merry Christmas 2011

I became aware of these two videos within 24 hours of each other, and they both make me smile...

At first I envisioned some kinda east coast <--> west coast chick singin' let it all hang out goofy Christmas song video rivalry, like them rappers used to have... (That is what them rappers used to have, yes?!?)

But the fact is, I'd much rather see 'em workin' together, sometime, somewhere... I think they're both phenomenal talents, and I urge anyone unfamiliar to get to know these performers better... (Obviously, this isn't their best work, but for what they are, these videos are pretty great...)


East Coast: Antigone Rising




West Coast: Francesca Valle



For more info:
Antigone Rising
Francesca Valle


Merry happy, everyone... Celebrate, and be joyous.

X-Post: Dishonest Donald Douglas Lash-Out/Lie of the Day for Wednesday, December 14, 2011

In the post American Power: Orange County Chick-fil-A Cashier Fired for Racist 'Ching' and 'Chong' Receipts, a post about a cashier at a CA fast food place who typed "Ching" or "Chong" into the name slot on two occasions when she had an Asian customer, Dishonest Donald Douglas tries to gratuitously shoehorn my name into the post and then tell lies about me by adding the following:

I can't believe people like that. But you have to stand up against that kind of racism and bigotry. Unfortunately, progressive racism of the same stripe is pretty common online. I discussed it at Zilla's in the comments regarding the disgusting bigotry of Walter James "Racist" Casper III.

To review, this is what Dishonest Don alleged in that comment section regarding my supposed racism:

Repsac is also racist. He's stated previously that he first identifies people by race or ethnic background then treats them (segregates them) accordingly. I ---- we ---- treat people as individuals with dignity.

Of course he provides no link or quote, leaving folks to either trust him just on his word (which as this blog has repeatedly shown by example and citation, isn't worth shit), or investigate for themselves what the fuck he may be talking (which is to say, lying) about...

This was my response at the time:
(I think what Dishonest Don was/is crying "raaaaacist" about in the comment cited above is the situation discussed/linked to at #3. Unless/until Dishonest Donald Douglas is willing to more specifically pinpoint the conversation he's lying about, I have to assume it's that one...):
-------
* As near as I can figure it, Donald's racism charge, first launched after I called him out for bigoted posts like these, amounts to the following:

1) I didn't believe a comment made about Donald Douglas' celtic-sounding name and "swarthy" complexion was racist...

2) I called a black man a clown because I disagreed with something he said...

and

3) I said that it is not racist to mention--or even talk about--race... ...and as an example, said that it would not be racist for another professor to describe Dr. Douglas as "a grey-haired black man wearing a blue suit with a red tie, who was likely to be dining in the south quad cafeteria at this hour" to a new student or professor who had never met the man. Apparently, taking any notice of skin color or other "racial" feature is evidence that one judges people based on their ethnic or racial background. (And lest there be any confusion, this was a part of Donald's comment in reply: "...you welcome people who see me first as a black man and not a man." Yeah... Really.)
---

Time since Dishonest Don's previous lash-out/lie: 17 hours

(Poor Donald couldn't even make it a whole day without lashing out with some kinda lie... It's almost like he's flirting with me... (If I had pigtails, Dishonest Donald Douglas would be sticking them in the inkwell... ...and I gotta say, it's getting really creepy that he cannot seem to control himself...)
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An American Nihilist x-post

In Reply: Lowes, Kayak: You shoulda just ignored the bigots, guys... (All-American Muslim)

In reply to: Another Advertiser Pulls Out Of “All-American Muslim” - Alan Colmes' Liberaland

It looks to me like Kayak (along with the rest of the businesses who pulled their advertising) got played for fools by this bigoted group in FL. They would've been wise to just ignore them and make their decisions based on, well, business--and perhaps, assuming Mr Birge is telling the truth (I have my doubts), even gone so far as to delay a planned ad pullout, so as not to even appear to be caving to bigotry.

Now they're damned by one side or the other, no matter what they do or don't do next. Whether they resume advertising or not (or write simpering excuse-laden explanations or not) either the bigots or a big swath of the rest of America is going to watch and remember what they did and do, and be unhappy with whatever decisions they make.

It was a classic rightwing media/FoxNews ploy... Speculate about and otherwise talk up any/all possible controversy about a given issue, and then dutifully report that the issue has become "controversial," with the not-so-subtle suggestion that mainstream Americans (and politicians, and companies) might want to avoid getting too involved with this "hot-button, third rail, controversial" issue.

Sadly for these companies who pulled their ads, the ratings for the show will likely go up, temporarily at least, because of the "controversy," meaning more eyeballs on the ads of companies that stuck it out, while the ones who pulled their ads get labelled as bigots and as lacking backbone, whether fairly or unfairly. This little nothing show that not a whole lot of people were watching in the first place is now a "controversial" wedge issue for a whole lotta folks.

Shoulda just ignored the bigots, guys... Perhaps next time...
---
Posted December 14th, 2011 at 15:50

In Reply: "Bad behavior by the two Muslim students doesn't excuse Paul Derengowski's own bad behavior."

In reply to the following comment at the post Professor resigns after Muslim students disrupt class - Inside Higher Ed:

Gsmith says
"His Website is horrendous--slanted mischaracterizations of atheists and others that makes no attempt to be neutral or respectful to different viewpoints. However, it appears that the instructor is in the right as to the classroom incident. If he was only reading from the Koran, then the students had no right to disrupt his class. They should have handled it differently."

---

But shouldn't the former professor have handled it differently, too? Reports suggest that these two students were disruptive for an HOUR... What kind of professor loses control of his class for an HOUR, without doing something about it? (Ask the disruptive students to leave the class, cancel the class and dismiss everyone, call campus security and have the disruptive students removed, ..., ...) It seems to me his classroom management skills were lacking, to say the least.

And after having been to his website and reading his L-O-N-G "Why I quit" resignation post in particular, I have serious questions about his professional and personal ethics, as well. It's a vindictive, bigoted, self-serving "name and shame" attack on the two Muslim students and on his former college administrators that suggests the man lacks the temperament needed to work and play well with others in an educational setting. Even now, he's recruiting "anti-Jihad" bloggers and others who agree with him religiously or politically to write or call TCC administrators up and down the chain in support of him and his cause, posting a list of administration names, addresses and phone numbers...

Based on the accounts I've read, the two Muslim students did behave poorly, both in class and subsequently. But I don't believe that their behavior mitigates or absolves Mr. Derengowski of his own behaviors and attitudes after the fact.

Posted 12/14/2011 01:02 PM

X-Post: Dishonest Donald Douglas Lash-Out/Lie of the Day for Tuesday, December 13, 2011

In the post American Power: Occupy Wall Street to Attend Capitol Hill Meeting Chaired by Congressional Progressive Caucus, Dishonest Donald Douglas gratuitously adds the following:

Real revolutionary communists to meet with real congressional communists, despite the lies of their progressive enablers. See: "Communist REPSAC = CASPER Takes Umbrage?"

While the text contained in Dishonest Don's screengrab at his link pretty much exposes Donald's lie all by itself, I also responded when he first made the post... ...last February. (This was during his "communist as meaningless pseudo-political epithet of the month" phase, and thus everyone and everything he disagreed with became "Communist." Like most of his meaningless epithets, post-"nihilist," it didn't last long...)

The gist was (and is, in this current post, as well) Donald finds a picture or mention of 5-10 individuals representing the American Communist Party or some similar group handing out fliers or whatever at a large liberal rally or protest, and tries to convince folks that their presence conclusively proves everyone at the rally is a closet Marxist or Stalinist.

Time since Dishonest Donald Douglas' previous lash-out/lie: 52 hours
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An American Nihilist x-post

In Reply: "I believe in religious freedom, even for faiths that I don't personally subscribe to..." (Paul Derengowski)

In reply to the following comment at the post TCC professor's lecture on Islam stirs controversy - Star-Telegram:

Gromet sez:

Would you please tell us which muslim countries allow Christian churches, Jewish temples, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples, Sheik places of worship, or any places of worship other than Islam to be built? Sure there are churches in Lebanon, but they have to have their own militias to protect them, and the new Muslim Brotherhood rulers in Egypt are starting to burn the Coptic churches there (which have existed for hundreds of years before there was an Islam.)
Tell me specifically where I am wrong in the statements above - one-by-one.......

---

Pretty sure I answered your question before you ever asked it there, Gromet... Those countries generally do not allow other faiths to be practiced, and the leaders responsible for that are discriminatory bigots...

...But it seems to me that folks fighting against mosques here in this country--or boycotting businesses that advertise during a reality show depicting actual American Muslims behaving pretty normally, and decidedly NOT like terrorists or terrorist sympathizers--are kinda following in their footsteps, ideologically speaking. (No, there are no death sentences, and buildings aren't burning down, but that's a matter of degree, not intent.)

I live here in America, and I believe in religious freedom, even for faiths that I don't personally subscribe to... ...and as an American, I expect everyone else here to stand for the same American freedoms that I do... I fail to see what's unclear about that.
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Posted 12/14/2011, 02:34 AM

In Reply: "Our diversity--religious and otherwise--is one of our great strengths..." (Paul Derengowski)

Revised and extended, in reply to the following comments at the post TCC professor's lecture on Islam stirs controversy

Gromet sez:

Can one build a church in a muslim country? NO!!! Upon penalty of death.
But, how many mosques are in D/FW - quite a few.
Now who's the BIGOT???

---
PamT sez:

You might want to rethink that comment. Next to Christianity - Islam is the next largest religion. So yes - we are in a Muslim country - they live here just like you and I.

---

All this great American religious freedom... ...and some seem to want us to leave those freedoms behind, in the name of "treating them like they treat us," or some fool thing, as though fairness means sinking to their level, rather than demanding that they raise to ours...

We are not a Muslim country, or a Christian country, or any other religious kinda country. Our diversity--religious and otherwise--is one of our great strengths...

(This was supposed to be in reply to PamT's 12/13/11, 10:36pm comment in the "...but there are no churches in Arab lands" thread... Dang Disquis / iPad interface keeps divorcing my reply comments from the threads they belong in...)

But as long as I'm editing in, "the BIGOT," Gromet, is anyone who judges every member of a given group as one (generally based on the behavior of the worst members of the group), rather than judging the individual on his/her own merits. Those who do not allow the building of churches in predominantly Muslim countries do qualify. But the people doing that are the leaders, not every single Muslim, in or out of the country in question. The bigotry of former professor Derengowski doesn't stain every Christian, either... ...and, it wasn't Muslim students misbehaving in his class -- or it was, but they weren't misbehaving because they were Muslims, but because they were rude kids who were offended by some of what Mr. Derengowski was saying about their faith, and reacted poorly.
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Posted 12/14/2011, 12:36 AM

X-Post: Another Day, Another Bullshit Gratuitous Mention By Dishonest Donald Douglas

In a post primarily discussing a college professor's run-in with two Muslim students that resulted in the professor's resignation, Dishonest Don appended the following:

"No doubt Walter James "Occupy" Casper III would be down with that "female Muslim student." The dude called for an investigation of Pamela Geller and berates conservative counter-jihad bloggers as racist. For pro-terror progressives like Racist Repsac3, the professor had it coming and he obviously deserved to be out on his ass, pounding the pavement for a job."

Why?

Who the fuck knows...

As I've said before, if you want to know what professor Douglas is up to, the best way is often to watch what he accuses others of doing. The man claims I'm obsessed with him... ...and yet he won't stop lashing out with these nonsensical, counterfactual, gratuitous mentions in posts about other subjects, regardless of whether I write about him--or the subject in question--or not. His fact free suppositions about what he thinks I might believe or maybe would do as regards the main subject of these posts (the strand of thread he uses to drag me into his posts and then lash out at me for whatever dastardly belief or action he's invented for me in a given situation) are not supported by anything but his own fevered, hateful imagination. In most cases I've never even discussed the topic at hand, and even when I have, Donald doesn't quote me, making it far easier to put his words and ideas in my mouth and then attack his made-up bullshit version of what "I" actually said...

I get it... Dishonest Don doesn't like me... Of all the people he's fought with over the last several years, I'm obviously the one he most hates, for reasons known only to Donald himself... ...but dragging me into all these posts based solely on what he guesses I might say or believe about the subject at hand does little more than make ol' Don look pretty desperate to lash out at me. And if he really is so desperate that he's willing to throw these wild drunken punches at me as these bullshit "W James would no doubt..." posts make him seem, I actually feel kinda sorry for the guy...
---

Added, after doing a bit more reading:

As for the subject of the post itself--the resignation of the professor--there seems to be more to the story than Dishonest Donald Douglas was willing to offer.

The professor's blog, Christian Apologetics Project--listed on the syllabus for the class in question--lists Islam, Mormonism, and Jehovah's Witnesses as cults rather than as religions, and reads a whole lot like the average Pamela Geller screed where Islam is concerned. (And for the record, yes, I do believe that Pam Geller is a bigot. The only Muslims she seems to approve of or in any way support are former Muslims or dead ones. She opposes Muslim religious services for US soldiers on military bases, and even at the Pentagon.

I'm fine with folks opposed to the strain of Islam that creates and feeds terrorism... ...but I don't believe that every Muslim is a potential terrorist any more than I believe every person practicing any other religion is... There are millions of Muslims throughout the world, and the vast majority never had and never will have a single "terrorist" thought. Those who fight against mosques, footbaths, religious services, etc, strictly because Muslims will use them are bigots. Pamela Geller--and yes, some of her "anti-Jihad" blogging followers and fellow travelers too--are indeed bigoted against all Muslims (except the ones who converted and the ones who are dead, of course.)

This news story (non-Fox, not Con blogger) paint a more nuanced picture of the situation: TCC Disputes That Professor Was Forced Out For His Beliefs - CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

I don't know what actually happened... (That's what I was trying to determine by googling the story.) But even reading Professor Derengowski's account, it sounds like he's got piss-poor classroom management skills, although--if his account is to be believed--the Muslim students behaved badly, no matter their complaint.

On the other hand, if the professor was teaching the kind of things posted on his website--and again, note that he listed his blog as a resource on the class syllabus, making it more than just his personal opinions on his personal blog--I could see where Muslim students (and Mormon students, and Jehovah's Witness students, and atheist students, too) would have a legitimate complaint against him. And according to the news story above anyway, at least one Muslim student (seemingly not one of the ones who caused the disturbance in class, though the article could be more clear on that point) says he was.

Contrary to Dishonest Don's wild guess, I don't know enough about the story to venture much of an opinion on the whole of the story. Here's what I can say:

I think the professor was right to report the student's threat. One cannot be too careful.

I think the students were right to report what they believed to be classroom bias to college administrators. The e-mail the student sent around was more than likely over the top and inappropriate, though I'd have to know what it actually said to really judge--and no, I'm not willing to take the professor's characterization of it as Gospel truth. I have no problem with anyone on either side speaking out and pleading their case, and to whatever extent the e-mail was an attempt to persuade the other students in the class that Professor Derengowski was teaching in a biased manner, I don't have much of a problem with it... ...just as I don't have a problem with Professor Derengowski telling his side of the story on his blog, essentially trying to persuade others that he was in the right...

And perhaps it is naive of me, but I find it hard to believe that the administrators of the college were biased against him, too. I'm not saying they were right to reprimand him or require that he change how he teaches the course... but I am saying that unlike me (or Dishonest Don, for that matter), they had all the facts before them, and more than likely made a fair and judicious decision based on what they saw and heard.

I generally trust the officials we put in place to judge such things, and believe that even when they do get it wrong, that wrong will be set right further up the chain. I hope the campus police investigated the student's threat, evaluated the seriousness of it, and acted accordingly. The same goes for the college administrators who looked into the student's complaints of bias by Professor Derengowski. I don't know that they were right, but barring evidence to the contrary, I trust that they were, because that is their job. If they were wrong, I hope it gets fixed, somehow. (The fact that the professor voluntarily resigned might make that more difficult, however...)

In the end, Professor Derengowski felt he was being treated poorly and chose to leave... ...but from what I can tell based on what little evidence is available, that wasn't the fault of these Muslim students or some so-called "Terroristic Act of Jihad" (a designation which itself ought to tell the reader something about the professor making the claim--no matter how vehement, arguing with a professor in class, lodging a complaint with his superiors, or even circulating any kind of fact sheet, diatribe, or petition against him via e-mail, are hardly "terrorist" acts); Professor Derengowski made that choice all on his own.
---

Another Update: The more I read, the more I see why our Dr Douglas feels an affinity for Professor Derengowski. Those interested need only follow this link to read the professor's epic 13 page ranting diatribe against the two students who complained about him, in his own words. It is unprofessional, unethical, personally motivated holier-than-thou pompous clap-trap of exactly the sort our Dishonest Don regularly engages in when attacking others on his own blog. (Luckily, Donald has so far managed to keep himself from attacking his own students... ...though if he felt himself backed into a corner as a result of a complaint against him, is there anyone who doubts he would, the same way he's attacked those bloggers who've had the temerity to disagree with him?) A professor who would write a post like this, no matter the reason, almost certainly lacks the temperament and professional ethics required to teach. (And if Dr. Douglas keeps spewing the hate for all who disagree with him the way he has been, it'll likely be just a matter of time for him, as well...) YMMV...

According to Professor Derengowski:
1) the student quoted in the CBS article above was one of the two who lodged the complaint against him, and
2) he quotes portions of the text of the e-mail the female student sent to her classmates in his 13 page diatribe--though, again a lot like Dr. Douglas, he edits it, and intentionally hides her supporting links. (In his post, the quotes are interlaced with his own responses to them, some of which are pretty far "out there..." If you want to get a picture of who Dr. Douglas is defending, I urge you to follow the link (the same one I added above) and read it all, in context.) Judge for yourselves:

“Good morning classmates…
"I am Emailing you all some information that you might find interesting, relating to our World of Religions teacher."
"After the other day in class, I couldn’t help but feel that he was teaching my religion of Islam in such a hatred and bias way…"
"And to my findings, he was…”
This man has been teaching our class in his point of view, in the way that he thinks it should be…”
“He is not being informative about religions, but rather creating a religious intolerance.”
“This is a philosophy class, he is supposed to be opening our minds and getting us to understand why other people believe certain things…”
“I’m sure some of you have felt that he does slander other religions’ beliefs and speaks ill of some as well.”
“I knew me and Muhammad were not crazy speaking up against how he was teaching.”
“It wasn’t the information and facts we were debating against so much, he was teaching it all wrong, and taking so many things out of context, focusing on the ugly things instead of teaching the actual religion itself…”
“I will let you all read what our teacher has written about Islam and Mormonism, the two religions he continues to speak out against in our class.”
"I will not be attending this man’s class again, and I will be showing the dean of our school."
"By the way… He gave us both zero’s on our quizzes we fairly earned 6/6 on that day in class, and an absence because we left a few minutes early…"
"We weren’t going to sit there any longer and allow him to slander our beliefs the way he was that day…"
"Enjoy:”

---

Links:
* American Power: Professor Paul Derengowski Resigns from Tarrant County College After Muslim Students Launch 'Terroristic Act of Jihad'
* Christian Apologetics Project
* TCC Disputes That Professor Was Forced Out For His Beliefs - CBS Dallas / Fort Worth
* Tell Them the Truth
* Donald Douglas: "Conservatives have proudly exhibited bigotry against Muslim prayer before"
* What'd I Say?: In Reply: There were Muslims involved; Of COURSE Geller and Spencer Objected...

* Wingnuts and Moonbats: Investigate Pamela Geller...

* Jihad Against Tarrant County College Professor Paul Derengowski - Atlas Shrugs
* Jihad Against Tarrant County College Professor Paul Derengowski�|�Conservatives for America
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An American Nihilist x-post

X-Post: That Dishonest Donald Douglas Has To Lie About The Folks He Hates Should Tell You All You Need To Know About Who He Is

When they have to lie about what you say or stand for, they've already lost the fight. You know it, I know it, and when it comes right down to it, they know it too...

"That is the complete rejection of values, decency, restraint and traditionalism. And that's the core of the Occupy Wall Street societal agenda. No gender recognition. Pairing sexually with whomever it feels right and good, damn world historical norms of propriety and protection of the most vulnerable. As we saw in New York, women were unsafe at the Zuccotti Park encampment. They had to self-segregate to protect themselves against being raped. But that's all part of the movement, and no doubt man-boy love and polygamy as well, and only God knows what else. This is of course the end stage of the progressive agenda. This is what creepy radical leftists like Walter James Casper III endorse when they pump out brainless tweets exhorting commies, druggies, and hippies to "Occupy wherever you are." It's criminal. It's nihilist. It's deathly."

Donald--who says he supports full rights for gay Americans (as long as they don't act "gay," or try to use those rights to legally marry in the eyes of the state...or God forbid, knit)--equates homosexuals and those who believe that the government shouldn't treat them any differently than straight folks, with pedophilia and support for man-boy love--(no bigotry there, right?), then--finding some out there website that questions societal norms, and also supports the Occupy movement (and note what I said: THEY support Occupy; there is ZERO indication that Occupy supports THEM, except in Dr. Douglas' fevered imagination)--equates his straw man fake gay/pedophilia rights movement with the Occupy movement, and damns everyone to Hell based on connections he made up out of whole cloth.

In every movement, there are fringe players and groups who want to piggyback on the whole to advance their own causes. The Tea Party wasn't racist, but there were racist players associated with it. Folks opposed to abortion are overwhelmingly good people who just believe something different than I do... ...but there are folks who were willing to murder doctors and patients and blow up buildings in support of their cause. The people at Dishonest Donald Douglas' "Free Society" website say they support the Occupy movement, and maybe they do--but they no more speak for the movement than Donald speaks for mainstream conservatives. Generalizing about the whole of a movement by pointing to the fringe hangers on is dishonest... ...and everyone, including Donald, damned well knows it.

And by this point it should go without saying that the reason Donald doesn't actually show that his accusations about me have any merit at all--say, with quotes, links, or citations--is because he cannot. As is so often the case, Donald's arguments against me require him to make shit up, and then attack his own lies. The fact of the matter is, for all his bluster and bullshit, the only one talking about man-boy love or pedophilia is Donald Douglas... ...and perhaps folks ought to be asking themselves why...)

When they have to lie about what you say and stand for, they've already lost.

By that standard, dishonest Donald Douglas lost long, long ago.
---

While folks like Donald Douglas seem eager to hide what those he disagrees with have to say by moderating his comment sections for content and limiting the number of verbatim quotes, citations, and links he uses when blogging, I want nothing more than to give folks every opportunity to read exactly what Dr. Douglas has to say, in all of it's contextual glory, and thus will quote and link to his exact words as often as I can...

Everyone please, go look at Donald Douglas, and particularly at the post(s) in question. Read everything he has to say. Weigh his arguments--as well as the arguments of those who disagree with him, of course--judge as fairly as your conscience allows you to, and come to your own conclusions.

I ask for nothing more.

And I ask for nothing less.
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An American Nihilist x-post

In Reply: "...it'd be great if we could all wish everyone we see a "Merry" or "Happy" whatever..."

Revised and extended, in reply to the following comment at In reply to Rhode Island Outraged Over “Holiday Tree” | FOX News And Commentary: Todd Starnes:

Rodney Duncan · Dallas Baptist University
@ W James Casper: "I am in a predominately Muslim country with large number of Buddhists/Taoists and Hindus. When it is Christmas - all of my many friends from these various groups say "Merry Christmas " to me (they probably have not heard of political correctness). When it is is Deepavali - I say Happy Deepavali to my Hindu friends. When it is Chinese New Year - I say "Happy Chinese New Year" to my Chinese friends. When it is the end of fasting month I say "Selamat Hari Raya Puasa" to my Muslim friends. That is being inclusive and no ones seems ot be offended. Secular American need to get over it and get the chip off their shoulders and realize it is ok to rejoice with others in the celebration of their special days - even if you are not observant of their religion. That is real tolerance."
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@Rodney Duncan: But if I may, that isn't the issue, and it isn't strictly a "secular American" problem. Here, the issue is several holidays all right around the same time, and an inability to look at a person and know which one(s) s/he chooses to celebrate... ...and essentially having everyone assume you're a Christian because that is what most folks are, rather than Jewish, or Hindu, or Muslim, or none of the above...

I'm all for the kind of inclusiveness you talk about--and I hope that folks wish you a Happy Deepavali and the rest when those holidays come around, too--but this would be more like saying "Selamat Hari Raya Puasa" to you INSTEAD of Merry Christmas, because you're in a majority Muslim country...

The situation among your friends sounds good... Knowing the backgrounds, ethnicities, and faiths of your friends, you all offer each other the appropriate holiday greeting at the correct time... But the question is, what would you do if Deepavali fell on Tuesday, Ramadan ended yesterday, Christmas was on Thursday, and you didn't know who celebrated which, given the number of folks who may've converted from the faith most associated with their ethnicity? Would you treat everyone as a Muslim, because that is the dominant faith where you are, wish everyone a Merry Christmas, because that is your faith, or would you employ some variant of "Happy Holidays!!," so as not to offer anyone the wrong holiday greeting and perhaps offend them?

I think it'd be great if we could all wish everyone we see a "Merry" or "Happy" whatever, even if they're not actually of that particular faith, and have it be taken and accepted in the joyous spirit in which it is intended, rather than as some kinda slight... (I personally try to have a very happy Hannukah whenever possible, though there isn't a Jewish bone in my body.) But assuming that everyone is a Christian because most folks here are--or because YOU are--just isn't the way to go...
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Posted 11/30/11, 6:00 PM (or so)
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More: memeorandum

In Reply: "we Americans are not all Christians, and we don't all celebrate Christmas"

In reply to the following comment at Rhode Island Outraged Over “Holiday Tree” | FOX News And Commentary: Todd Starnes:

Steve Stevenson: "I don't see any one trying to rename and change hannakah or the other days of celebration, just Christmas, making it a day to sell goods, not what it is about. But Christians are the ones being attacked here, as everywhere, which kinda makes me believe more that it is true, I respect all other beliefs, it is a free country, but Christians are being attacked not only at Christmas but everyday, put a cross in your yard and someone complains but put any other religious symbol up and no one cares. I salute the lady Rep for standing up to this, it is an important fight as anything else as it does effect freedom."

@Steve Stevenson: I think what's happening is that the unfair advantage that Christmas once had here in America each December is being righted... When store employees blindly wished everyone a Merry Christmas, it was no more or less of a slight to some non-Christians than "Happy Holidays!" (or "Happy Hanakkah!!," or any other festive but non-Christian greeting) is to some Christian shoppers today.

The fact is, we're not all Christians, and we Americans don't all celebrate Christmas... It's not exclusively the Christmas season, and they're not all Christmas sales, Christmas shoppers, Christmas concerts, Christmas pageants, Christmas decorations... While I'm sure it was nice back in the days when the mob ruled, and non-Christians were supposed to just grin and accept it when their whole town and country celebrated Christmas all around them, those days are over now... Now we protect the rights of the minority, too...

I'm sure stores would LOVE to wish every person celebrating a particular holiday the greeting most appropriate to them--and I bet that in almost every case where the clerk is sure of the holiday a particular customer celebrates, they do (and I'm fully down with those "It's OK to wish me a Merry Christmas" buttons some folks wear, so that clerks and cashiers do know)--but one's religion is not tattooed on the forehead... Wishing everyone happy holidays covers all faiths, and New Years, taboot... (And it's better'n wishing everyone Merry Christmas on Mondays, Happy Hanukkah on Tuesdays, Sweet Festivus on Wednesdays, ...)

The tree thing is a little more silly... Though it's origins are pagan, a decorated evergreen is known as a Christmas tree, these days... but there is nothing wrong with making the yearly lighting ceremonies more inclusive by also including non-Christian decorations, and billing it as a holiday lighting festival... a Festival of Lights, as it were...

Or, if a locality can afford it, have a Christmas Tree Lighting... And then have a Menorah Lighting Celebration, and / or a Kwanzaa Festival, and / or a HumanLight gathering, so it at least looks like the town or city is trying to meet the needs of all of it's residents, as opposed to only addressing the needs of the majority faith and culture. (Another great thing about America is that we defend the minority against strict majority rule... Even if there's only one non-Christian, he has as much right to have his faith recognized and celebrated by the local government as the Christian majority, and every right to complain if he believes he is being treated unfairly before the law.)

As for the rest, it's kind of in the eye of the beholder, I suspect... While I don't know where one would go to find proof either way--I'm offering no more or less evidence than you are--I suspect that there are proportionately no more complaints about Christian iconography than there are about non-Christian (sacred or secular) iconography, and that a whole lot of the complaints are based on height, zoning restrictions, community covenants, or other non-religious issues, besides.
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Posted 11/30/11, 4:14 PM
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More: memeorandum

In Reply: Instead Of Fighting About The Winter Holidays, CELEBRATE Them...

In reply to Rhode Island Outraged Over “Holiday Tree” | FOX News And Commentary: Todd Starnes
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After reading all the other comments (and making one, myself) all I can say is I wish you all a Merry Christmas AND a Happy Hanukkah, AND a beautiful solstice, and that's to say nothing of Kwanzaa, Festivus, HumanLight, and all the other December to remember holidays and celebrations open to you, one way or another... Whatever sacred and/or secular traditions you personally follow, I hope you take a moment to enjoy each of these holidays and give a thought to the people that do celebrate the ones you don't... They deserve a happy holiday just as much as you do, and it'd be a far better world if we could share our traditions with the folks not like us, rather than playing silly one-upsmanship games... The fact that we are a pluralistic multi-ethnic, multi- religious society is one of America's great strengths... But only if we're willing to teach and to learn and to relish our similarities and allow for our differences... (For the record, I'm pretty sure ol Link was just trying to be inclusive, not diss the tree or Christianity... It IS a Christmas tree, but it's also just one part of a pretty religiously and secularly crowded holiday season, and I think it's a pretty good idea for everyone to recognize that...)
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More: memeorandum
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Posted 11/30/11, 1:02 AM

In Reply: Whose Tree Is It, Anyway...

In reply to Rhode Island Outraged Over “Holiday Tree” | FOX News And Commentary: Todd Starnes
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure the whole decorating of evergreens was a Yule tradition, not a Christian one... ...and it's mighty funny to watch these christian traditionalists argue in favor of such a pagan tradition... (On the other hand, most folks of all faiths do recognize that even though it was once a pagan tradition, a decked out evergreen IS generally known as a Christmas tree, these days... Rather than changing the name of the tree, places prolly ought to have holiday lighting ceremonies, where they light the tree, and a menorah, and a crèche, and whatever other sacred and secular decorations the locality intends to display on behalf--and for the enjoyment of--the residents. This whole "war on Christmas" thing is a silly distraction meant to divide us... And sadly, it seems to work every time...)
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More: memeorandum
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Posted 11/30/11, 12:04 AM

X-Post: The Dishonesty of Donald Douglas, Part 99

A quick review...

After two weeks of being ignored by me and everyone else here at American Nihilist, Donald Douglas lashes out at me by name--on Thanksgiving Day, no less, suggesting that if he were to mention the name of the retailer where his also nameless wife works, her life would be threatened by me.

Basis? Zero. No one here has ever threatened to harm Donald Douglas, any member of his family, or anyone he has ever met. Rather than just enjoying the day with his family, Donald felt the need to launch an unprovoked attack on me on Thanksgiving. God only knows why...

Late that night, I respond, making note of the fact that: Even on Thanksgiving, our poor pathetic little friend Dr. Donald Douglas cannot resist lashing out...

Predictably I suppose, Donald's response to being called out for his Thanksgiving attack post was, well, a little over the top--not to mention gravely dishonest--from the suggestion that I attacked him, to his suggestion that anyone here threatened to or has any interest in or desire to "rape his wife!"

(As near as I can figure it, someone in the comments made a Beavis and Butthead joke, and poor Donald failed to understand the cultural reference... Whatever his motives, Donald is lying... No one made any lewd or sexually-charged attacks on his wife--indeed, we mostly feel sorry for her, given the man to whom she's married. Given his penchant for hyperbole, I've no doubt that every mis-squeeze of the toothpaste tube is an attack on the very foundation of marriage and the traditional family, itself... or something.)

While his friend Zilla picked up and regurgitated his story, initially posting the following...

Update: Last month Zilla of the Resistance: Stand Against Evil - Never Let it Win I posted in support of my friend Donald Douglas who runs the American Power blog, who has, for years, been under relentless attack by hateful leftists who have even gone so far as to try to get him fired from his job - simply because they disagree with his political opinions. Donald has a new post up today that is horrifying and stomach churning: now American Power: Deranged Stalker Walter James Casper III Fires Up the Criminal Hate-Blogging for the Holidays the sick freaks are talking about wanting to rape Donald's wife. There is no level of depravity too low for the cretinous enemies of free speech to sink to in its unyielding mission to intimidate those whose opinions they disagree with into silence. Absolutely disgusting.

...truth (in the form of a comment made by me at her blog) bade her to check the facts, and update her post accordingly, which she did:

Update: Last month I posted in support of my friend Donald Douglas who runs the American Power blog, who has, for years, been under relentless attack by hateful leftists who have even gone so far as to try to get him fired from his job - simply because they disagree with his political opinions. Donald has a new post up today describing the fact that the blog dedicated in its entirety to attacking him, could not even leave him alone on Thanksgiving Day. The comments section there includes some snide remarks about his marriage. How very sad that some people apparently have nothing better to do, on a day dedicated to reflecting on all of the things for which one should be thankful, than to pick at a man over every single thing he ever writes on his blog, and then bitch about it when that man discusses the relentless attacks. But then again, Thanksgiving is an American holiday, and gratitude is something expressed by people who actually have functioning souls, so I suppose this should not be surprising. (Yes, this update did previously say something else, but after being asked to do further investigation, I did and have amended this post, as promised.)

While she still gets some of the facts wrong--claiming it was we "nihilists" who couldn't leave Donald alone on Thanksgiving, rather than the other way 'round--I give Zilla credit for at least trying to tell the truth. This alone shows her to be a far better class of person than Donald could ever be, were he to even try, anymore...

"How very sad that some people apparently have nothing better to do, on a day dedicated to reflecting on all of the things for which one should be thankful, than to pick at a man over every single thing he ever writes on his blog, and then bitch about it when that man discusses the relentless attacks."

We agree, Zilla... We agree... (Surely Zilla was referring to Donald, since he was the guy attacking others on Thanksgiving day, Right? Of course, she was... ...and like I said, we're with her.)

The fact that Zilla updated her post to reflect the truth of the matter (more-or-less, anyway) had zero effect on Dr. Douglas, of course...

First, in another diatribe worthy of a drama queen short fiction award, Donald reposted Zilla's initial blurb on his blog, in spite of the fact that she had updated it to more closely resemble the truth hours earlier. As of this writing, it remains, unchanged... ...just as though Zilla had never called his veracity into question by updating it...

This post also repeats the discredited claim of sexualized references to his wife, including the emboldened admonition that "They would rape her given the chance." Donald is nothing if not consistent, no matter the facts. (He also seems to believe that if he doesn't link to me, he isn't attacking me, even if he alleges that I would rape (or later, kill) his wife in his blog post(s). That's some kinda odd definition of an attack, right there...) You'll have to follow the link for the rest of his largely paranoid-sounding rant... Given it's lack of substance--or for that matter, any tether to reality--it's not even worth discussing.

Of course, that bit of dishonesty wasn't enough... Donald had to try again to persuade Zilla and her readers that his bullshit was worthy of their consideration:

Zilla: Repsac3 is lying. His blog is a stalking hate site, not a place for commentary. He claims to have started it as a joke but it quickly became a focal point of attacks on my life (nothing compares to this, I can assure you). Repsac3 has a deranged obsession that is manifestly not healthy. His behavior is essentially criminal, but the police action required to get him to stop his harassment and threats is costly to mobilize. If you engage him know in advance that most what he says is not true and totally self-serving. He is a manifest pathological liar. Well wishes he might send are fake and designed only to inoculate himself from criticism. Repsac is also racist. He's stated previously that he first identifies people by race or ethnic background then treats them (segregates them) accordingly. I ---- we ---- treat people as individuals with dignity. Repsac has a history of stalking people. He harassed my friend Skye from Midnight Blue, following her around even to her YouTube pages. She warned me about him years ago as a pervert. He is not to be trusted and by allowing him to comment here I warn you that he'll pollute your community like a despicable troll and your community will be harmed. He's toxic that way. If he were decent he'd retire his attack blog and stop with his dementia and obsessions. People like this actually need help. I'd not feed his psychosis for fear of the bad karma and actual violence he's wont to foment. Walter James Casper III is a cancer.

As usual, however, Donald makes these allegations without a shred of evidence... Tall tales are all he has...

A few points:

* Donald accuses me of some undefined criminal acts, but asserts it would be too costly for the police to respond to them. Does that sound plausible to anyone?!? Donald has at various times accused me of stalking, harassment, and most recently, conspiracy to commit rape and/or murder... but he won't call the police about any of it because it would cost too much to have them respond?!? Sorry, Donald, but that's taking the desire to keep taxes low to a pretty fucking absurd level... (That, or perhaps the man is just lying... We report, you decide.)

* As near as I can figure it, Donald's racism charge, first launched after I called him out for bigoted posts like these, amounts to the following:

1) I didn't believe a comment made about Donald Douglas' celtic-sounding name and "swarthy" complexion was racist...

2) I called a black man a clown because I disagreed with something he said...

and

3) I said that it is not racist to mention--or even talk about--race... ...and as an example, said that it would not be racist for another professor to describe Dr. Douglas as "a grey-haired black man wearing a blue suit with a red tie, who was likely to be dining in the south quad cafeteria at this hour" to a new student or professor who had never met the man. Apparently, taking any notice of skin color or other "racial" feature is evidence that one judges people based on their ethnic or racial background. (And lest there be any confusion, this was a part of Donald's comment in reply: "...you welcome people who see me first as a black man and not a man." Yeah... Really.)

* Donald also seems to believe that commenting in response to posts is the same as stalking... The fact is, the political blogosphere really isn't all that large... As soon as one ventures away from the major sites, it's often the same small group of screen names, wherever one goes... That I responded to a particular blogger at both her own blog AND at a YouTube video or two isn't really all that unusual... ...unless one is Donald Douglas, I guess... For the rest of us, seeing and speaking to the same group of bloggers, left and right, on multiple sites is a pretty common occurrence... YMMV...
---

Obviously, Donald is going to continue to make these fact free, unsubstantiated allegations against me.

Just as obviously, there will be fools gullible enough to believe whatever lies he tells... All I can do is to continue to post the facts, hope that those intelligent and honest enough to think for themselves will see them, and pray that the gullible sycophantic fools are few and far between...
(A few folks have suggested that his allegations of criminal behavior meet the legal test for libel... ...and while I've not taken them seriously up to now, the fact that some of his blog buddies are now reposting his lies without bothering to even vet them first, has me wondering whether I ought to reconsider...)

So obviously, this blog isn't going anywhere for a long time to come...
---

Sadly, this somewhat innocuous comment, once again calling Donald's veracity into question, will be my last at Zilla's blog.

Citing her friendship with Donald and her desire that he not be made "uncomfortable" when coming to her blog (which exposing his lies for all to see would likely do), Zilla banned me from making any further comment there...

C'est la vie... "Birds of a feather...," I suppose...
Still, of all the folks who've limited my ability to discuss things with them, her motives--at least thus far--are the most pure... She's not claiming I've misbehaved, or that Donald hasn't... She's simply saying that as his friend, she wants him to be comfortable at her blog... Refreshingly honest, if ya ask me... (All that remains to be seen is whether she personally continues or condones attacks on me at her blog... If not, she retains my admiration; if so, well, I'd be surprised...and exceedingly disappointed...)
---

Here is the text of the e-mail I sent her this morning (before seeing that she had restricted my ability to comment, obviously):

I debated whether to post that last comment, but figured it was innocuous enough not to offend much of anyone other than the person lying about my good name... I shan't comment at your blog on the subject again... (though I AM writing a new post for my own blog that includes the comments made on yours by all concerned... You're welcome to stop by and see that I fairly represent the truth of the matter, if you wish--and correct me if I misstate anything, of course--once it is posted... I had intended to drop you a link, but given your latest comments, I won't... but nevertheless, you're always welcome to read, comment, and even vehemently disagree...)

While it is your blog, I humbly request that you not allow Donald to launch attacks on me while asking me not to respond to them, whether it be in the comments section, or by repeating his specious claims--particularly without vetting them first--in your own posts.

I only came to your blog because I was falsely accused there, both initially, and yesterday... Had I never been mentioned, I likely never would've made a comment...

As for the rest, we disagree...

My blog responds to attacks... It seldom initiates them.

In this latest episode, for example, we at American Nihilist were perfectly content to eat our turkey and stuffing in peace and not think of Dr Douglas at all--the same way we hadn't for the previous two weeks--until Donald decided to accuse me of some veiled threat to his wife as a part of his Thanksgiving Day post. All the rest flows from his initial unprovoked and unwarranted attack on my character and my good name... No matter how you chose to characterize it on your blog, I know you read the posts, and I know you know that what I say here is true. And that's good enough for me...

Sure... maybe it is unusual to have a blog devoted to refuting the attacks made on us and on our political and social opinions by Dr Douglas... But given the number of attacks the man has launched, it has become a necessary tool and a permanent record. You needn't agree with either it's existence or it's purpose, and as long as you tell the truth, you're welcome to criticize whatever we say, there... ...though as I said, I'd appreciate the opportunity to respond, should you choose to do so... But we're not going to go away, especially so long as Dr Douglas continues to tell such lies...

That said, I appreciate your position... I wouldn't be a part of this whole business either, if I didn't have to be... Assuming you keep attacks on me off of your blog, I'll never comment on the subject there again... (If your intent was to ban my comments altogether, please let me know... Until I hear otherwise, I'm going to think positive, and assume it wasn't, and that comments regarding other subjects are still welcome...)

Again, I'm sorry the disagreement between Donald and I ever touched down on your blog shore... It'll not happen again, at least by my hand... The rest, Zilla, is up to you...
---

Links:
American Power: Early Thanksgiving Dinner
Even on Thanksgiving, our poor pathetic little friend Dr. Donald Douglas cannot resist lashing out...
American Power: Deranged Stalker Walter James Casper III Fires Up the Criminal Hate-Blogging for the Holidays
Zilla of the Resistance: New Death Threats from Islamic Supremacists and their Islamoblow Enablers Show How Much They CAIR
American Power: 'Tolerant' Progressives Ramp Up Death Threats Against Conservatives
Donald Douglas - 11/27/11, 12:18 AM
The Devil's American Nihilist Henchmen: Donald Douglas - On African Americans
The guy at American Power is Not Entitled to His Own Facts
repsac3 - October 8, 2010 12:22 AM
repsac3 - October 8, 2010 1:56 PM
Donald Douglas - October 8, 2010 2:34 PM
Zilla of the Resistance: Stand Against Evil - Never Let it Win
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An American Nihilist x-post

In reply to: Kimberly Webb Joyner, 1970 to 2011

In reply to Kimberly Webb Joyner, 1970 to 2011

My wife, Kimberly Webb Joyner, died this morning in her sleep from unknown causes.

She was 41.

She leaves behind two little girls she loved more than anything, Katie, who turns 3 on New Year’s Eve, and Ellie, who was born June 21.

continued...
---

I cannot imagine what you and your family are going through...

May God grant you all the peace and strength you'll need in times ahead...

My family will add yours to our prayers...

...and after reading this sad news, I think I'll spend the rest of the day with my bride of 10 years, and try to keep in mind that few regret spending more time with the people they love and less in front of a computer monitor and keyboard...
---

I barely know James Joyner, and don't believe I ever heard him mention his wife or family... Still, a story like this hits you hard, especially if you're sharing your life with someone you love...

Like I said, I'm done for the day... For me, I hope, there's always tomorrow to blog some more... My advice; Get offline, and hug everyone you love....
---
Links:
Kimberly Webb Joyner, 1970 to 2011
Site Note
Kim Update
Status Update
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The Human Side | The Moderate Voice
Sense of Events: What to say to the grieving
Prayers for James Joyner Following the Loss of His Wife | All American Blogger

X-Post: Poor Donald Douglas Finds Himself Unable To Tell The Truth... Again... UPDATED

Contrary to the specious claims in Donald Douglas' most recent dishonest attack post, it wasn't me who fired up anything... In fact it was poor pathetic Dr. Douglas who, in a bid for attention after being ignored by everyone who posts or comments at this blog for the last few weeks, decided to lash out in anger on Thanksgiving Day:

I can understand that Donald feels the need to justify why so few of his readers comment on his blog, but it's pretty pathetic that he feels the need to make me the scapegoat for his own failures, and to be so fucking dishonest...

No one who has anything to do with me has ever threatened poor pathetic Donald Douglas or any member of his family, on or offline. No one has broken any law as regards his person or property. His claims and insinuations to the contrary are lies, the product of a man whose posts and comments often cannot stand up to the slightest bit of scrutiny.

I understand that he gets upset when folks see him for who and what he truly is, but the dishonesty is all too plain to see... His accusations are all devoid of any proof. He says I am responsible for threats, but never quotes or links to a single one. He claims I've committed criminal acts, but never involves the police or legal representation.

The reason is simple.

Donald Douglas lashes out with libelous attacks and dishonest claims of wrongdoing when things don't go his way, but knows he cannot back his lies with anything of substance, so he doesn't even try... He seems to think his readers are too stupid to think for themselves and will believe whatever he tells them, but the fact is, they're not, and they often don't... ...and knowing that scares him, all the more...

Folks can agree with me or don't, but unlike Donald Douglas, I will always show you why I believe the things I do. While Donald refuses to quote, link, or cite much of anything he alleges I've said or done--pretending it has something to do with denying American Nihilist bloghitz, as though anyone here cares about such a thing--I will always quote exactly what Donald said, and link to the place he said it... Unlike Donald, I'm not afraid to show my work and have others decide for themselves whether my claims do or do not have merit.

Donald is angry and insecure... ...but if he thinks lashing out at me with such obviously dishonest bullshit is going to do anything but expose his anger and his insecurity to a wider audience, he really ought to reconsider his foolish behaviors and their effects on his online, professional, and personal reputation...

I can't speak for everyone here, but Donald can call me all the names he thinks he needs to, if that's what makes him feel better about himself... Nevertheless, this blog will continue to quote Donald Douglas' own words, link to where he said them, and allow those who choose to come here to read them--and our reactions to them--for themselves... ...and then make up their own names for Donald (or for the writer(s) here), if that is their wish...

When Donald lashes out--as he did on Thanksgiving Day, after being ignored by everyone at this blog for the previous two weeks--we're all too glad to throw the second punch in reply... and we likely will, as long as Donald keeps spewing his venomous bile and lashing out at those who don't choose to see the world through the hate-filled, black and white lenses he so often employs.

UPDATE: Donald's stock in trade response to being called out? Gratuitous mention(s) in post(s) ostensibly discussing some other topic. Donald Douglas is so pathetically predictable...
---

While folks like Donald Douglas seem eager to hide what those he disagrees with have to say by moderating his comment sections for content and limiting the number of verbatim quotes, citations, and links he uses when blogging, I want nothing more than to give folks every opportunity to read exactly what Dr. Douglas has to say, in all of it's contextual glory, and thus will quote and link to his exact words as often as I can...

Everyone please, go look at Donald Douglas, and particularly at the post(s) in question. Read everything he has to say. Weigh his arguments--as well as the arguments of those who disagree with him, of course--judge as fairly as your conscience allows you to, and come to your own conclusions.

I ask for nothing more.

And I ask for nothing less.
---

Previously:
The attack: American Power: Early Thanksgiving Dinner

The reply: Even on Thanksgiving, our poor pathetic little friend Dr. Donald Douglas cannot resist lashing out...
---

An American Nihilist x-post

In Reply: "Pretty Repulsive" Is In The Eye Of The Beholder, I Guess...

In reply to the following comment at the "Zilla of the Resistance" post New Death Threats from Islamic Supremacists and their Islamoblow Enablers Show How Much They CAIR:

Honestly, I find your blog pretty repulsive (no offense intended) since pretty much ALL of it is dedicated to just to attacking another blogger, so I try to avoid going there, but I will look around (I hate that stupid clown picture) and amend the update if necessary. I really wish you guys would find something better to do though, don't you ever get bored of the stupid blogwar?

I am sorry if I am less than cordial, but one of my dear friends HAS had her life threatened, in plain view for all to see (linked up early on in this post), among other horrible stuff that people who claim to be peaceful are doing to shut down those who engage in fact based reporting of various atrocities, and I am at this point more than a little bit cranky.
---

"Honestly, I find your blog pretty repulsive (no offense intended) since pretty much ALL of it is dedicated to just to attacking another blogger"

Fair enough... (though I would say it's more a question of disagreeing with another blogger rather than attacking him... While I do occasionally respond to ad hom with ad hom of my own, most of my posts quote the man verbatim and then respond to the words and ideas in his posts.)

"I really wish you guys would find something better to do though, don't you ever get bored of the stupid blogwar?"

Yes... I've been known to not post anything there for weeks at a time, only to be attacked yet again, unprovoked... Most of my posts (especially of late) have been in reply to posts where I am name checked and attacked. (The record is available for all to see...)

"I am sorry if I am less than cordial,"

No, you've been perfectly cordial... If I have any complaint at all, it's that you didn't check the facts for yourself prior to posting your dishonest update. I mean, I appreciate that you're doing so now, but the responsible thing would've been to do so before posting the allegations in the first place... (At least you didn't repeat the photoshop that Dr Douglas so often posts... Seems we all have our "clown pictures"...)

Those who post threats or bigotry (or if I may, dishonest posts alleging sins and criminal acts with zero evidence, in an effort to ruin someone's reputation) deserve to have attention drawn to them, and providing quotes, links, and screen caps of the posts in question is the only responsible way to go about doing so...

I have no problem with the truth though, and I have a solid record of speaking out against bad behavior wherever I find it, and no matter what sociopolitical "side" it comes from or hurts.
---

Posted Saturday, 11/26/2011, 07:40 PM (and disappointingly, removed from view by the moderator on Sunday, mid-day, so as not to make her friend Donald Douglas "uncomfortable," as the truth so often does. The truth is optional sometimes, especially where friendship and / or a shared political point of view is concerned...)

In Reply: Donald Douglas Dishonesty Spreads...

In reply to an added blurb in the post "Zilla of the Resistance: New Death Threats from Islamic Supremacists and their Islamoblow Enablers Show How Much They CAIR," in which the author says:

Update: Last month I posted in support of my friend Donald Douglas, who runs the American Power blog, who has, for years, been under relentless attack by hateful leftists who have even gone so far as to try to get him fired from his job - simply because they disagree with his political opinions. Donald has a new post up today that is horrifying and stomach churning: now the sick freaks are talking about wanting to rape Donald's wife.. There is no level of depravity too low for the cretinous enemies of free speech to sink to in its unyielding mission to intimidate those whose opinions they disagree with into silence. Absolutely disgusting.

My reply:

Contrary to Donald's assertions, no one associated with W James Casper (repsac3) or the American Nihilist blog has ever suggested harming Donald Douglas, anyone in his family, or anyone he knows... While support of your friend Dr Douglas is admirable, buying into and regurgitating his nonsense without any proof of his specious claims from either his site or yours is disappointing, to say the least.

While I know Donald will never do any such thing, I believe Zilla to be more honest. I therefore request that she please quote and/or link to this supposed threat against Mrs. Douglas, or update this post again to reflect the fact that no such threat exists...

It isn't a fact just because someone (anyone) claims it is... Please look at the facts, and decide for yourselves...

---
Posted Saturday, 11/26/2011, 06:11 PM (and disappointingly, removed from view by the moderator on Sunday, mid-day, so as not to make her friend Donald Douglas "uncomfortable," as the truth so often does. To her credit, however, the woman did stop repeating at least a few of Donald's lies as a result of this comment... ...though others still remain posted there, including a few by this moderator's own hand. The truth is optional sometimes, especially where friendship and / or a shared political point of view is concerned...)

X-Post: Donald Douglas - Reading Comprehension - November 25, 2011 Edition

Because sometimes, the urge to attack the individuals and groups one disagrees with and to portray them as eternally and unfailingly "eeeeevil" overwhelms the ability to pay enough attention to understand what the words and phrases mean, and actually get the story right.
~~~

The NYTimes.com article says

"'Those in a more modest income situation are the people who are going to the Wal-Marts and the Best Buys and the Targets at 8, 9, 10, 11 p.m. with little kids in tow because they can’t afford a baby sitter,” said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail consultant firm. “It’s a very unpleasant shopping experience, frankly, for a lot of people.'"

Donald Douglas reads the passage above -- quotes it on his blog -- and says:

"Right. Kids are unpleasant. Can't afford a babysitter. Give me a break."

Kids are unpleasant? Words fail the man.
---

Previously

Added: Moar phunneeeer: Check Donald's 5:30 PM post, about his own 2:00 AM Wal-Mart shopping experience. Check the pictures he posted...

Anyone see those little kids in tow, just like the guy in the NYT article said (and that our erstwhile nemesis pshawwed as though it was ridiculous commie nihilist nonsense)? One has to wonder whether Donald bothers to read his own blog, sometimes...

Maybe it was a pleasant experience for all concerned and maybe it wasn't, but those are young kids out at the stores at 2:00 AM on Black Friday morning, rather than home with babysitters... ...which is just what the nice man quoted in the New York Times said...


















His ranting is self-refuting...
---

An American Nihilist x-post

X-Post: Even on Thanksgiving, our poor pathetic little friend Dr. Donald Douglas cannot resist lashing out...

American Power: Early Thanksgiving Dinner

"This wasn't as bountiful a spread as we usually lay out. My wife had to be at work at 2:00pm. She's an assistant store manager at a major national arts and crafts retailer. I'd mention the name, but it's not worth having my wife's life threatened by the likes of Walter James Casper III and his demonic progressive totalitarians."

Is anyone the slightest bit surprised that this is how Donald spends his holidays? Lashing out, unprovoked, at folks he disagrees with politically or socially? Could there be anything more sad?

My reply, in any case:

---

An American Nihilist x-post

X-Post: Celebrating Violence the Donald Douglas Way

American Power: Pepper-Spray Those Occupy Mofos!

What a classy asshole... (Is anyone surprised?)

Hope Don's new hero "wirecutter" realizes that even here in NY, some of us have no problem with self-defense... ...and that Karma can be a real bitch.
---

An American Nihilist x-post

A pox on... oh, never mind.

In reply to: Zilla of the Resistance: Moonbat Parents Send Infectious Disease Through The Mail
---

I doubt "pox parties" is what they was called, but this idea about getting all the kids in the neighborhood sick together was fairly common when I was growing up in the early 70's... Like SignPainter's mom, mine wasn't interested--I don't recall my brother and I ever voicing a vote, though I suspect we both agreed with mom (I know I did)--but she did get the invitations from the parents of one or two of our friends, and the "parties" did take place. This mailing thing involving complete strangers is absolutely crazy, though...

As a lib though, I take exception to the "moonbat" twist on the story (assuming that's what Zilla's referring to, anyway...)... I'm not seeing any political affiliation mentioned in the original stories on this (and if I may be so bold as to say, looking at the states mentioned kinda suggests a different demographic, politically-speaking...) I mean, yeah, there are anti-vaccine nuts here on the left, but I know of at least a few parents whose main objection to vaccinating their kids is the crazy--and yet unshakable--belief that aborted fetuses are somehow used to create the vaccines.
As with most topics, there's nuts like this all across the political spectrum...

(Apologies if *I'm* the only one here adding politics to the story, but I've been called moonbat enough to get a feel for how it's most often used in right wing (nut) parlance... ...and enough to've created a blog with a title based on the twin epithets, in fact...)
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Posted 11/06/2011 04:38 AM (and disappointingly, removed from view by the moderator on Sunday, 11/27/11, mid-day, so as not to make her friend Donald Douglas "uncomfortable," as the truth so often does. The truth is optional sometimes, especially where friendship and / or a shared political point of view is concerned...)

In Reply: Preaching to The Choir, and a Little Good Neighborliness

In reply to a comment at Zilla of the Resistance: Stand Against Evil - Never Let it Win that has apparently since been deleted. (My response was moderated away when I was banned on 11/27/11 (about a month after this posting), but the comment I was replying to--written by the blog owner herself to another blogger/person commenting on her blog, and parts of which I QUOTED in my response--has been COMPLETELY disappeared... Go figure...)
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Zilla/MJ said...
"You've done good, Thom! I almost feel sorry for that guy."

Right back atcha, my dear...

"...he should know that he may not comment at my blog unless he registers as a known troll & pays the toll."

The comment is for you, Zilla... Whether or not you post it is your choice, and scarcely matters to me either way...

If I ever have a response to somethin' you write that I want others to read, I'll post it on one of my blogs, because I know that too few of you conservative types can be trusted to go in for honest debate right out there in public... It's all about stifling the voices of others, for you folks...

"I still suggest a Troll Toll though, as it has worked well for me. ;) "

If you call preachin' to the choir workin', I guess... Personally, I wouldn't be all that proud of it, but then I prefer honest discussion and debate.

In the spirit of good neighborliness, lemmie say I'm glad you finally got your root canal, and I hope it relieved the pain for good and all... I have an idea of what you've been going through, as I had to wait about two months for my insurance to kick in so's I could go for a root canal of my own... The appointment's tomorrow. (Had I read yer blog earlier, I might've contributed a few bucks, in knowing sympathy...)
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Posted 10/26/2011 03:25 AM (and disappointingly, removed from view by the moderator on Sunday, 11/27/11, mid-day, so as not to make her friend Donald Douglas "uncomfortable," as the truth so often does. The truth is optional sometimes, especially where friendship and / or a shared political point of view is concerned...)
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While I can't link to the comment I was replying to (which I still think is mighty, mighty weird), I CAN link to Zilla (the blog owner's) response to this comment, posted 10/26/2011, 06:32 AM in reply to Guest - 1 Like (Needless to say, I am the Guest. If I'm not mistaken, I am the "1 Like," as well...)

Conservative bloggers make no sense to me... While I've been known to ADD old posts to my blogs after the fact, increasing the record and cross linking posts, conservatives always seem to be limiting comment and hiding content (and particularly dissent) and generally subtracting from their record... It's almost as though they don't believe their words and ideas can withstand scrutiny and dissenting points of view...

X-Post: It's not who they are, but who WE are, that makes the difference (or should)

American Power: Muammar Gaddafi Allegedly Sodomized After Capture

"It's pretty awful, but seriously? Folks are going to get worked up about this? The dude promised to go "house to house" to cleanse the "greasy rats" from Libya." - Donald Kent Douglas

We don't react to things like rape and torture based on who the victim is, but based on who we are. It is the act of forced sodomy (essentially rape) that we humans condemn, no matter who the rapist(s) or the victim(s) are or what else they've done in their lives.

(It's kinda sad that anyone should ever have to point that out... ...especially to an American, given how exceptional our morals and values generally are compared to people the rest of the world over.)

This is "things I learned in kindergarten" material... Two wrongs don't make a right.

Also talking about it:
memeorandum
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An American Nihilist x-post

In Reply: Robert P. Tuttle Throws Twigs and Pebbles From The Safety of His Moderated Blog

In reply to the following comment at "The Independent Realist" post "Repsac3, W. James Casper - The Final Word":

Thank you Dr. Douglas for the kind words and links to the Realist. I am afraid that the longer Walter (Walter James Casper, III) continues with his delusional rantings, the further he will slip down into the depths of his paranoia. There is nothing that we can do other than to block him from our blogs and such (I've already had to block him from my blog and Facebook page), and simply allow him to rant on his own site. Eventually he will alienate himself from even his own followers as they begin to realize the depth of his illness.

And as Walter is reading this blog, I would offer him this advice: seek professional help and seek it now. Do not wait.
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I'm sorry, Rob... But I'm not real impressed by a guy (or pair of guys) who speak ill of me from behind a screen of moderation... ...and I don't much value the opinions of anyone who is, either...

So, I'm glad you two are having fun n'all... but until you're willing to say your piece in a place where folks are free to respond--ALL folks, not just the people and responses you pick and choose--you might just as well not be talkin', least as far as I'm concerned.

While folks like you and Donald seem eager to hide what those you disagree with have to say by moderating your comment sections for content and limiting the number of verbatim quotes, citations, and links you use when blogging, I want nothing more than to give folks every opportunity to read exactly what you have to say, in all of it's contextual glory, and thus will quote and link to your exact words as often as I can... ...and sure, I'll even add a few if you folks don't feel I've given you enough "Look at ME!!!" time.

Everyone please, go look at Donald Douglas and Robert P. Tuttle, III. Read what they have to say. Weigh their arguments (as well as the arguments of those who disagree with 'em, of course), judge as fairly as your conscience allows, and come to your own conclusions.

I ask for nothing more.

And I ask for nothing less.
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Submitted for moderator approval 10/25/11, 4:40 PM (or so)